Injured in war, School of Nursing alum retains love of profession

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Chris Justice shortly after arriving in Iraq

“Some people are just meant to be nurses, and I just love it.” Words spoken by Christopher Justice ’99, MS ’03, over two years ago as an intensive care nurse at UW Hospital and Clinics are words that he stands by today—even after sustaining injury as a nurse in Iraq.

Once completing his bachelor’s degree at the UW-Madison School of Nursing, Justice began his nursing career at UW Hospital and Clinics and continued working there while pursuing a master’s degree in nursing. Completion of this advanced nursing degree not only prepared him for a role as a nurse practitioner (NP), but also marked the culmination of 18 years of service in the Wisconsin Army National Guard along with rank of commissioned officer in the Army Nurse Corps.

Stellar credentials and a wealth of experience “earmarked” the master’s-prepared nurse for a role in the war with Iraq. Justice was called to active duty in December of 2003 and deployed to Iraq two months later.

Applying nursing skills in wartime

Justice found that the clinical skills he had acquired as a nursing student at the UW-Madison had equipped him with a strong knowledge base for the challenges presented a nurse practitioner in a foreign country in wartime.

“Our sick call hours were filled with a lot of the same issues seen in an urgent care facility in the U.S. … viral illnesses, musculoskeletal injuries … and lots of lacerations needing suturing,” says Justice.

Uncommon, however, was the delivery of care--performed under very adverse, taxing conditions and with a sizeable number of cases daily. Justice cared for shrapnel injuries, gun shot wounds, perforated tympanic membrane, burns, and traumas from blast injuries, in particular, improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The patients, reports Justice, not only were U.S. soldiers, but also Iraqi prisoners and workers, contractors from various countries and third-country nationals--Jordanians, Iraqis, Syrians, Egyptians and Turks. In actuality, says Justice, he and his unit saw any injured person who walked in the door of the clinic.

His medical unit, comprising one physician, numerous medics and himself, was the busiest by far on a daily basis, says Justice. Word spread quickly around the area about the advanced delivery of care that his unit offered.

“We had civilians coming in to the clinic because they heard how wonderful the care was that we provided,” says the 34-year-old Justice. “Those assigned to go to other clinics came to us for care because they were treated with respect each visit. … Prior to leaving Iraq, we were seeing about 60 to 100 patients daily.”

In June of 2004, he was assigned two major roles: chief medical officer of the unit, charged with staffing and placement of medical professionals, and chief nurse of the unit, which meant managing the patient holding area where soldiers and civilians were treated for up to 72 hours.

“My job [as chief nurse] was to make sure day-to-day duties were carried out and that the medics in our unit were trained to the level that they could care for the wide variety of injuries and illnesses we saw there,” reports Justice.

Justice's Hummvee after the bombing

Justice recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center with Elizabeth (left), Tina and Jacob

Justice receiving the Purple Heart from Brigadier General Densen

Returning home

The UW alum spent eight months in Iraq before returning home in October of 2004 because of injuries sustained just outside of Baghdad.

“A suicide bomber pulled out of traffic as we were pulling security around our vehicles, says Justice, “and [the bomb] detonated 20 meters from us and our vehicles. Three of us sustained injuries severe enough to get us out of the country; the others were treated and sent back to duty.”

Justice suffered a lacerated wrist, shrapnel wounds to both lower extremities and injury to the back of his left arm requiring a skin graft. He has been undergoing occupational therapy to strengthen his left arm and is expected to fully recover within the next few months.

“It’s just a matter of getting my strength back now,” reports the wounded Army officer, who later received the Purple Heart for undergoing injury while serving his country.

Justice currently describes his military status as “active duty on medical hold.” He is part of a community-based health organization of nurses, physician assistants and one doctor who assist in the care of injured soldiers in a five-state area.

Starting in June 2005, Justice will pursue the certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) program at UW-La Crosse in affiliation with in affiliation with Franciscan Skemp Healthcare School of Anesthesia. Enduring injury and the trauma of war, Justice has never abandoned what impassioned him as a student at UW-Madison School of Nursing—the science of patient care.